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Students
Tom Mousley Scholarships
Applications due May 30, 2010!
The Society of Commercial Arboriculture is offering a $2,000 financial scholarship to students majoring in Arboriculture, Urban Forestry, or Horticulture in a 4-year program and a $1,000 financial scholarship to students majoring in Arboriculture, Urban Forestry, or Horticulture in a 2-year program.
For complete details and an application please click here.
Our Past Winners
GERARD FRY
Gerard Fry first found out about commercial arboriculture in spring of 2005. Jay's Tree Care of Ashland, Wisconsin was hiring a tree worker. Fry had no idea what a tree worker did, but he knew he loved working with trees since his year with the Wisconsin Conservation Corps in 2000-2001. Fry got the job and on his first day he discovered that a career in arboriculture is the career of his dreams. Once Fry started working at Jay's Tree Care, he found that the more he learned about trees and tree work, the more he wanted to know. It was at a Wisconsin Arborist Association conference that he met Ron Zillmer standing at a booth for Mid-State Technical College. He informed Fry about the school's Urban Forestry Technician program. Fry immediately decided he would do whatever it took to go to school. Fry said it was a bit scary at first, starting school at 27 years old and without much money. "It's because of scholarships like the Society of Commercial Arboriculture Tom Mousley scholarship and federal and state grants that I'm able to go to school and focus on school without having to worry about how I'm going to afford it," Fry said. "I will continue with hard work and dedication to the program and a whole lot of faith that it will all work out." Fry said he has been overwhelmed by all of the opportunities and involvement in the program by companies and associations in the tree care industry. This summer he was given an internship position at Collier Arbor Care in Portland, Oregon. "It was a wonderful experience," he said. He plans to continue taking advantage of all the opportunities as they arise and continue expanding his knowledge of arboriculture and the industry. "I'm not sure where I'll be in twenty years, or even five years for that matter, but I do know that I will be somewhere in the arboriculture industry," Fry said.
JORDAN UPCAVAGE
Jordan Upcavage spent the last summer working as an intern for The Bartlett Tree Company.
Since his first day on the job, Jordan has been climbing trees to perform subordinate pruning, cabling and bracing, and general tree maintenance. He has also been given the opportunity to work with the spray tech several times to apply pesticides to target specific pests in a safe manor.
"Getting this field experience will help me choose the direction of study that will better my future career direction," Upcavage said.
"My learning experience [at Bartlett] has sparked my interest to obtain a Commercial Pesticide Operators' license," said Upcavage, whose goals include expanding his father's tree service and furthering the extent of their services with this license.
In order to take the Commercial Pesticide Operators' license test, Upcavage must have a Master's degree or work under an operator's license for three years.
"Because of the generous gift by the Society of Commercial Arboriculture Tom Mousley Scholarship, graduate school is now a serious possibility for continuing my education," he said. He said he looks forward to furthering his arboriculture knowledge on a daily basis and eventually taking his Certified Arborist exam.
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